SE2: No Shooting In The House
by KamalaC
Summary: Ian is living with Charlie, making him coffee, and keeping his guns locked up. That can't be right. Something must be done about this! Ian's losing his touch, and will do anything to get it back. But what price will Charlie have to pay?
1. Chapter One: Restless

Disclaimer: Numb3rs and associated characters are not mine. I make no profit from this fiction.

A/N: So here we go, the sequel to Sniping Equations. Takes place roughly six months or so after the end of that. Many thanks to the lovely Jadvisioness, for her excellent services as Beta – she makes very intelligent comments. Thanks, hon.

No Shooting In The House. Where Ian thinks he might be losing his touch, and goes to drastic measures to get his snark back, inadvertently putting Charlie in danger in the process.

Chapter One: Restless. In which Ian realises that he's been acting out of character.

-NSITH-

Ian Edgerton sat in Charlie's garage, quietly drawing, while his lover worked frantically on the blackboards. The clack-clack-clack of the chalk was oddly soothing, and several times Ian fought back a yawn. Eventually he glanced at his watch and decided that enough was enough. They both had classes to teach in the morning.

He put down his sketch-pad and approached Charlie, standing directly behind him. Ian knew that it annoyed the professor, which was exactly why he did it with such frequency. When it didn't seem to get a response this time, Ian wrapped one arm around Charlie's waist and pulled him backwards, using the other hand to confiscate the chalk.

"Hey!" Charlie protested. "I'm right in the middle of a significant line of thought, I need to finish this. Give that back."

"No." Ian smiled smugly, even as Charlie attempted to wriggle out of his grasp. "You have class in the morning. You need to sleep."

"But I'm not tired!" Charlie fought to keep from whining. "I'll sleep, I promise, but I gotta finish this."

"Hmmm," Ian hummed. "I'm sure I can think of something to tire you out."

"Huh? What do you – oh. Oh!" Charlie arched backwards into Ian's touch. "No fair," he whimpered. He heard Ian's chuckle, and could picture his expression clearly. It would be that smug smile he always wore when he got his way.

Abruptly, Ian let go and pulled away, making Charlie stumble as he struggled to regain his bearings. The younger man turned, confused, to look at his lover. The sniper smirked at him, eyes glittering.

"It's a pity you don't want to go to bed, isn't it? Guess I'll just head up by myself then."

Ian and Charlie stood, looking at each other, for about a minute before Charlie cracked. Rushing back to the house, he grabbed Ian's hand on the way past. Laughing, he led the way up to his room, where he was more than happy to let his lover tire him out.

-NSITH-

The next morning, Ian woke early as usual. He smiled fondly at the now-familiar sight of Charlie wrapped firmly around him, and began the daily struggle of getting out of bed without waking the brilliant professor. It was no easy task, but Ian always viewed it as a challenge.

Having accomplished it – and the equal challenge of finding his clothes in the chaotic bedroom – he padded down the hall for a shower. His morning routine was finished quickly, and he returned to the bedroom, knowing that he really should wake Charlie now.

As he'd expected, Charlie had rolled over to where Ian had lain all night, and was now cuddling his pillow. Apparently, the professor had a few abandonment issues. At the low chuckle that emerged, Charlie blearily opened his eyes and looked around.

"Good morning, Professor." Ian smiled down at him. "Best get moving, you have class in two hours."

"Two hours?" Charlie yawned. "Plenty of time. Come back to bed."

"No it's not. Because I happen to know that you'll be biking today, and you need to eat properly before you leave. Get moving." Ian turned and left, still smiling to himself. Sure, Charlie would continue to sleep for another twenty minutes or so, but he'd still make it. Somehow, even though Charlie was always in a rush, he still made it on time. It was part of his charm.

Downstairs, Ian sat down at the kitchen counter just as Alan dished up a hot breakfast. The older man had grown used to Ian's presence in the house, even if he didn't necessarily approve of the man's occupation.

"Alan," Ian nodded a greeting. "Smells good."

"Thank you. I'm just glad someone's going to eat it besides me."

Ian smiled as he nodded. Alan really was a great cook, and he enjoyed having access to three square meals a day. The two men ate in companionable silence, before they heard a thump and muffled swearing coming from upstairs.

"Guess he's up," Ian shrugged as he rinsed his plate and put it in the dishwasher. On his way past, he flicked on the coffee pot that had become a permanent fixture since he'd moved in three months ago. Charlie often joked that the sniper had more caffeine in his veins than blood, and that they needed to keep him away from mosquitoes. At which point, Ian would usually pretend to shoot down hyperactive insects, much to Charlie's delight.

Smirking a little to himself, Ian reached into the fridge and picked up the milk, shaking it experimentally.

"Hm. Low on milk." At the comment, Alan groaned.

"I knew I forgot something yesterday!" He sighed. "And I was going to make fried chicken tonight, too."

"Don't worry," Ian shrugged. "I'll get some on the way home tonight."

"Will you?" Alan beamed as Ian nodded. "Thank you Ian, that'll be a great help." He started to head out of the kitchen before pausing. "Stan's coming around to go over some plans for the firm. You haven't left your guns in the living room, have you?"

"No, Sir," Ian couldn't help but smile. "Charlie forbade me from taking them out of their cases."

"Excellent," Alan nodded and left.

Ian finished making the coffee – his black and bitter, Charlie's milky and sweet – then quickly drank his while considering the day ahead. He was taking some promising field agents through an advanced shooting course first up. One of them showed particular promise, and he'd be recommending the boy for sniper training. If he had time after, he'd swing by CalSci for lunch with Charlie, maybe even sit in on the start of his afternoon lecture. After that, he'd head for Don's office, since they were planning a raid for the afternoon.

Hearing the water running for the upstairs shower, Ian smiled and left Charlie's coffee on the counter with a post-it note stuck to it, saying quite simply 'Bang bang, Baby'. He then quickly drained his own mug and collected his keys, ready to head off. It wasn't until he reached his truck that the morning's actions clicked into place, and he stopped with a look of horror on his face.

He'd been… _domesticated_.


	2. Chapter Two: Wounded Puppies

A/N: Bloody hell, 5 reviews and 4 favs already? You Numb3rs fans really are rabid, aren't you? Not that I'm complaining – I'm glad you all like it so much.

Hi again Pippy – I was wondering if you'd find this. Hope you enjoy it as much as the last one.

Thanks again to Jadvisioness for excellent services in both Americanising and making it flow better. You can certainly see the difference in quality between SE 1 and 2. At least, I know I can.

-NSITH-

Chapter Two: Wounded Puppies. In which Ian unnerves Don and Megan.

Ian kept his students longer than usual, and was harsh with his comments – which in turn made them nervous and more likely to make mistakes. He eventually let them go when he made one of the male recruits burst into tears. Apparently, he took offense at being told that he couldn't out-shoot a blind orphan from Nigeria. Ian still wasn't sure exactly where that comment had come from, but it had seemed fitting at the time. In retrospect, it had been kind of like kicking a puppy, and Ian bit down the slight twinge of guilt.

Instead of going to see Charlie, Ian elected instead to just grab a coffee on his way in to the FBI. He'd be early for the raid, but maybe something interesting would be happening. Or not interesting. He'd settle for anything that wasn't linked to the curly-haired mathematician.

Part of him knew that he was being unfair, lashing out at anyone who got near him as a substitute for dealing with his problems, but a bigger part didn't care. He was meant to be Ian Edgerton, snarky and solitary, able to outstare any enemy and take down any target. So why was he making his lover coffee just the way he liked it? Why was he getting milk on the way home? Why was he hiding his guns just because they made his lover's family uncomfortable?

He hung his head, staring into his coffee. Had he been de-clawed? Was he losing his edge? And more importantly, how could he get it back?

-NSITH-

"How long has he been like that?" Don spoke softly. Megan glanced at her watch before answering.

"Ten minutes so far. It's freaking me out a little."

Don nodded. They were watching Edgerton, who was sitting at a table outside the FBI offices, staring into his coffee cup. He hadn't so much as blinked so far, a fact which was unnerving both agents. Sure, Edgerton was quiet, but he was normally hyper-aware of his surroundings, and of any potential threats. Right now, Don wasn't sure if the sniper even realised where he was.

"Think we should go talk to him?" Don asked, resigned. He really didn't want to interrupt a brooding Edgerton.

"I think we have to," Megan shrugged. "He's supposed to be joining us on the raid, remember? I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a distracted sniper at the scene."

"Good point," Don nodded. "Therefore, you do it." Megan started to protest, but he held up a hand. "You're the profiler; you'll have a better chance of getting to the real problem. And anyway, as Senior Agent, I'm making it an order."

"Bastard," Megan muttered, and Don grinned at her as she sighed and started walking towards Edgerton. Sometimes, she really hated Don.

-NSITH-

Ian was aware of Don and Megan, even if he didn't acknowledge them yet. He just wanted to be left alone for a bit, to get his mind sorted. Unfortunately, it seemed that wasn't going to happen. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Don flash his partner that smug grin of his and take off back into the building, while Megan approached him.

_Hm, sending the profiler… this could be interesting, _Ian thought. He was almost looking forward to it now.

"Hi Megan," he spoke when she was still several feet away, stifling a smirk when her steps faltered a little. He'd given no clue that he'd been aware of her approach.

"Hi Ian," Megan recovered admirably. "Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead." It wouldn't hurt to be polite. With a little luck, it might even throw her off some more.

"Thanks," Megan sat across from him, trying to relax so that her body language wasn't screaming 'interrogation'. She didn't think it was working too well. "So, is the coffee particularly fascinating today?"

"Mmhm," Ian hummed a response. "I think I found Bin Laden."

Megan started and quickly looked between Ian and his coffee. The sniper wasn't exactly known for his jokes. Ian allowed himself a smirk – making the profiler uncomfortable was a lot more fun than he'd thought it would be.

"Um, right," Megan really wished Don was here – he'd had more experience with Edgerton and could read him much easier – which, now that she thought about it, was probably why he'd delegated it to her.

"Something bothering you?" Ian asked, raising an eyebrow, and Megan mentally shook herself. She could do this.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you that. You seem a little off."

Ian hid a smile by taking a sip of the – now cold – coffee. The girl had guts, he'd give her that. He took a moment to consider and then replaced the coffee on the table in front of him. Maybe he could take a chance… a brief moment of consideration passed, before the sniper mentally shook his head. What would Megan know about it? She'd never been in this position before.

But he knew someone who had.

"I'm fine," Ian murmured.

He'd call Ryan later and talk to him. After all, he and Nevyn had been undercover agents for a long time before Ryan retired, and the boy in particular had occasionally formed attachments while working. They'd also both lobbied hard for Ian to pursue this relationship; they'd have some advice for him – once they stopped laughing anyway.

Ian suddenly stood and drained his coffee, startling Megan. He tossed the empty Styrofoam cup in the trash and headed into the building.

"You coming?" He called, smirking to himself. Charlie hated it when he did that and, from various comments he'd overheard, the other agents he worked with weren't too happy about it either. So far only Don had worked out how to prevent it – be moving already when Ian walked away.

-NSITH-

Later that afternoon, Ian lay on a rooftop, sighting down his rife – his breathing steady, heart beat normal, not a tremor in his hands.

Everything was going well.

He had orders to bring down any perp that decided to run, with non-lethal shots. A bullet to the leg or shoulder would be enough to slow anyone down enough for them to get restrained by the LEOs that were there to support SWAT and the FBI agents.

Yes, it was an easy assignment for someone like Ian but, given his mood today, that was a good thing. As much as he would've liked to really challenge himself, Edgerton knew that he wasn't concentrating as well as he should be given the fact that he was still unnerved by being in a stable relationship and acting like a normal boyfriend.

At that moment the raid was called and Ian snapped back to the present, watching for anyone trying to escape. Moments later, he saw someone climbing out of one of the warehouse's windows and smiled to himself. The man took off at a run, away from where the police were waiting, and Ian calmly adjusted his sights to take out one of the man's legs.

As the perp went down, screaming and clutching his knee, Ian held tightly to his rifle and tried not to be sick.

Just as he'd pulled the trigger, Charlie's face had flashed into his mind.

-NSITH-

By the time Don gave the all-clear, Ian had already packed up his gun and was on his way back to street-level, his mind whirling faster than when he tried to keep up with a Charlie math-talk.

Perhaps he really was going soft.

Shaking his head, Ian decided that he would go back to the gun range for a few hours to clear his head.

As he got to his truck, the sniper heard a whimper from behind and turned to look. Trailing after him was a small puppy, with long fur, big ears and an awkward walk. It seemed as though it was in pain, and stared up at Ian with large, soulful eyes.

The puppy's expression mirrored how Charlie always looked at him when he wanted something.

Crouching, it occurred to Ian that the professor would probably love a puppy like this. The agent held out a hand to the puppy, and it immediately trotted up to him, tail wagging and tongue lolling. He let the pup lick his fingers, then gently reached out and laid his other hand on the back of the pup's neck. It looked up at him, happy and trusting.

-NSITH-

About half an hour later, Don made his way to where he was sure Ian had parked his truck. The sniper had disappeared after the raid, and Don was a little concerned.

When he arrived, there was no sign of Ian. However, next to where the truck had been parked, was a small, furry figure. Don crouched nearby, trying to hold back the disgust he felt.

Laying on its side at his feet was a dirty puppy – with its head twisted almost completely around.

-NSITH-

A/N: Um… think I'm gonna have to write a Zillah-fic now to ward off the angries… please don't kill me yet! Let me finish the story first.


	3. Chapter Three: Neutral Territory

A/N: Welcome back, lovies! Apologies for taking so long – this chapter wasn't cooperating. Thanks to Jadvisioness for whipping it into shape. Warm fuzzies for the lovely lady, please!

Chapter Three: Neutral Territory. In which Ian gets lectured.

Ian stumbled up the porch steps, thankful to finally be here. 'Here' being Ryan's house in Miami, a place he could always expect to find a different perspective on his life and actions. Ian knocked loudly on the front door, not really caring that it was a little before dawn, and he hadn't spoken to Ryan or Nevyn in months. One of them would be awake, surely.

After a few minutes, Ian could hear muffled swearing in an unfamiliar voice as the person stumbled towards the door. The sniper quickly checked the gun in its holster before the door opened, revealing the unknown man.

The stranger was tall, at least an inch or so more than Ian, and appeared Hispanic. Apparently Ian had woken him because the man was only wearing his boxers and a bleary expression.

Oh, and he was aiming a gun at Ian's face.

"Who the hell are you and why are you banging on the door at this hour of the morning?" The younger man spoke with only the slightest accent, giving Ian the idea that he'd been raised in America.

Ian was about to answer, when a squeal from inside the house cut him off.

"Delko!" The man flinched at the sound of Nevyn calling. "Get your fine ass back in that bed with Ryan!" As the young Scotswoman appeared, already dressed for the day and grinning widely, she continued. "I'll play with Ian."

"Oh, you know each other?" Delko asked as he replaced the safety on the gun and tossed it into a drawer in the hall table.

Ian stiffened a little at the man's treatment of the weapon, his face going blank but his eyes hardening slightly. However, he thought it prudent to remain silent. After all, evidence pointed to the man sleeping with Ryan.

"Sure do," Nevyn nodded. "Ian, meet Eric Delko, Ryan's boyfriend. Delko, Ian Edgerton, an old friend of mine."

As the men nodded, taking the measure of each other, Ian thought he saw some lingering suspicion in Delko's eyes. Giving him a slight nod, Ian acknowledged the caution of the younger man. If Delko showed up at Nevyn and Ryan's place with Ian opening the door, the younger man's appearance would have made Ian leery also.

The agent had driven virtually non-stop from the raid in LA to Miami. His clothes were rumpled, he was in desperate need of sleep, not to mention a shower, and he had a gun at his hip.

If Ian's memory served correctly, Ryan had talked about Delko last time he'd visited them. The two worked together at the Miami-Dade crime lab, so he was obviously accustomed to questioning small details – such as why Nevyn would be friends with an armed man twenty years her senior, when she was, to all appearances, an office worker.

Then Delko shrugged and turned away, apparently the situation didn't matter enough to deter him from going back to bed, and Ian let the ghost of a smile cross his face.

When she was finally alone with Ian, Nevyn looked him up and down slowly. Gently leaning forward and taking his hand, she pulled the sniper into the safety of the house and closed the door behind him. It was a testament to how bad he must look that she was being gentle with him, when normally she'd be laughing at him and pushing him around.

"You look like shit," she whispered. "You go take a shower. You can sleep in my room for a bit, I gotta go see to a few things anyway. Ryan'll make up the guest room when he wakes up."

Nevyn had been leading him through the house and up the stairs towards the bathroom as she spoke. When they arrived, she pulled his jacked and gun holster off herself, clearly confiscating them so that Ian couldn't leave before she knew he was okay.

Knowing that no matter how bad it was, her friend would neither appreciate nor accept her help showering, she turned back to the door.

"Nev?" Ian whispered, his voice raspy from dehydration.

"Yeah?" The Scot turned back for a moment.

"…Thanks."

Nevyn graced him with one of her rare, soft smiles. "It's what I'm here for, Charmer. Now clean up and get some sleep. We'll talk later."

-NSITH-

The first thing Ian noticed when he woke that afternoon was that Charlie wasn't wrapped around him. The thought was enough to jar him into full wakefulness, and he looked around the room; it was a far cry from the one he shared with Charlie.

Charlie's room was chaos, though the professor swore he knew where everything was. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the room Ian was in now was cleaned to the exacting standards of someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He figured that Nevyn had been gone for a time and Ryan, aggravated whenever his surrogate sister was in danger, had cleaned it in an OCD flare-up.

Ian noticed the bag he always kept in the truck was now sitting just inside the doorway. Getting out of bed, he grabbed it and headed to the bathroom again, thankful for his old habit of keeping supplies in his vehicles at all times. Dressed in clean clothes, freshly clean and shaved, he headed downstairs in search of some friendly company.

Instead, he was met with the sound of Nevyn on the phone, apparently arguing with someone in German. Ian couldn't understand exactly what was being said but was certain there were several swear words thrown in.

Ryan glanced up from the couch and spotted Ian standing in the doorway, looking amused, and smiled at him.

"Hey Ian. I heard you'd arrived this morning."

"Yeah. I needed somewhere to clear my head for a bit." Ian shrugged as he sat in an arm-chair, not wanting to be too close to anyone else right now.

Ryan nodded, understanding.

"Well, you know that this is always neutral territory."

"Son of a bitch!" Both men winced at Nevyn's shout from the kitchen, which was followed by a sound as though a phone had been thrown across the room. Ian raised an eyebrow.

"You were saying?"

Ryan shrugged and grinned back.

"For Nev, that is neutral."

"You have a point."

The men fell silent as the agent in question stormed into the room and sat on Ryan's lap. The look on her face clearly said 'don't ask' and the men wisely cast about for a different topic of conversation. Ian thought of one fairly quickly.

"So Ryan… you and Eric?"

"Yeah," Ryan nodded happily. "We're still figuring things out, but it's going well so far."

"He know about your old job yet?"

"Not yet."

"He's me met, though," Nevyn smirked. "So it's only a matter of time before it all comes out."

"Hm," Ian chuckled with agreement. "Last time I was here, he was just a slightly annoying co-worker. Now he's more?"

"Yeah," Ryan nodded. "We started going out about four months ago and now he sometimes spends the night here. I'm quite proud of his restraint actually, since, before this, his longest relationship was about two weeks."

"Really?" Nevyn raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was breakfast."

The three shared a laugh, all feeling much more at ease after picking on Ryan's absent boyfriend a little and Ian tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Soaking up the calm that had descended, he knew he'd have to talk to the younger agents sooner or later, but for now they seemed content to leave him to his thoughts.

"You gonna be in Miami long?" Ryan asked, shaking Ian from his thoughts. The sniper shrugged.

"Not sure. There are a few things I need to get sorted in my mind before I head back."

"Anything we can help with?"

_So much for leaving him to it_. Ian sighed and opened his eyes again_. Well, this was why he'd come_ _here._ Time to bite the bullet and admit he was in over his head.

"I'm trying to figure out some issues with my private life."

Ryan and Nevyn shared a look and then settled back. Ryan's hands went around Nevyn's waist to clasp in front of her, whilst she folded her arms across her chest, both wearing identical expressions of expectancy.

As both the younger agents looked perfectly content to sit and stare at him for the rest of the day, Ian bit back a groan. Knowing that he should have anticipated this reaction – they loved to meddle in his life – he took a few minutes to gather his thoughts.

"I think I'm going soft; I think Charlie, or maybe just being involved with Charlie, is making me lose my edge."

Whatever the two had been expecting, it obviously wasn't that as they were both clearly surprised.

"I keep my guns locked away so that Charlie and his father aren't upset by them; I'm nice to the old man; I help out Don when he needs it; I'm starting… I'm starting to feel guilty about my job and right before I left, I had to… put down a dog. And now I can't stop thinking about it."

"Wait," Nevyn interrupted. "You killed a puppy? How could you!" As ruthless as Nevyn could be when she was undercover, she genuinely loved animals and couldn't bear to see them hurt. More than once she had very nearly blown her cover of a fragile schoolgirl by beating up grown men for mistreating animals.

"It would have died anyway," Ian argued back, as though daring her to question him further. "It was injured, malnourished and, as I was checking him over, it had two tumors near its neck, one deeply infected. Had fleas, probably worms too."

"So why feel guilty about it?" Ryan asked quietly. Ian paused, continuing after receiving a glare from Nevyn.

"Because Charlie would have taken it in," he muttered, not meeting anyone's gaze. "He would have taken it home and cared for it until the animal either got better and followed him around constantly, or it died and broke his heart."

Nevyn opened her moth to say something, probably insulting, but Ryan squeezed her in a silent request to keep quiet. Instead, they waited for their friend to continue.

"It scares me, I guess," Ian went on, voice barely above a whisper. "I know that I'm either going to lose myself to him or break his heart." Ian sighed, bowing his head a bit before continuing. "And I don't know which one is worse."

"Who says those are your only options?" Nevyn burst out. "Seriously, Charmer, you're being far too melodramatic."

"What do you mean?" Ian lifted his head and tilted it slightly, finally looking at her again.

"Start with the small things," Nevyn started to tick things off on her fingers. "You keep your guns locked up, and you're nice to Charlie's dad. I hate to break it to you, but that's part of the compromise that comes from being in a relationship."

"You say you help Don out," Ryan continued without giving Ian a chance to protest. "Well, that's just part of your job; you both work for the FBI and you're the best they've got. It's just a little more obvious now 'cause you live in close proximity to his branch. If you lived in Miami you'd probably be doing the same for us."

"And feeling guilty about my job?" Ian demanded, though he already saw the point that his friends were making.

"What is it you tell all new recruits in your course?" Nevyn smiled fondly at him. "Something about periods of doubt?"

Ian had given a lot of lectures to his students – many more than he could clearly recall – but that part of his classes was always very clear in his own mind.

"I tell them that, when you make a living killing people, sooner or later you're going to have a crisis of conscience. That eventually you'll doubt whether or not you made the right choice and, when it happens, it's up to you to decide whether or not the job's still right."

"Exactly," Nevyn nodded. "You're going through your own crisis right now."

"I've been a sniper for nearly twenty years," Ian growled, "and I've never doubted my choice."

"You're due then aren't you?" Nevyn shot back without batting an eyelid.

Ryan stifled a chuckle at the look on Ian's face. He looked as though he'd been slapped with a fish – completely shocked, a little angry and slightly embarrassed.

"Simple as that, huh?" Ian asked, half to himself.

Ryan nodded his head as he answered.

"The reasoning, yeah." Then he shook his head, "But the 'how to work through it,' … not so simple."

Ian looked at his young friend, clearly listening.

"You gotta decide what to do now. Do you go back to Charlie, continue the relationship and your work; do you go back to him and not continue your work; and if you do go back for the relationship, what do you do if you don't continue being a sniper. Or, if you sacrifice the relationship for the job, what's it going to cost you in the long run? If you decide you finally want a relationship, what are you going to do? And if it's with Charlie, will he understand, will he forgive you for the choice you made? And if it's not with him, how will Charlie feel when he finds out – he, obviously, wasn't enough to pull you away from the job so, what's the person you're involved with at that time got that he doesn't? And, whether you do or you don't, – with all that – how is it going to affect your working relationship with everyone in LA?"

Ian sighed and rubbed a hand across his eyes. He felt like he'd just experienced every emotion known to man in the space of a half-hour conversation. Then again, visits to these two were often like that.

"When did you get so wise?" He griped.

Ryan beamed, realising that he'd gotten through. Ian just didn't want to admit it yet.

"Well, I've been storing up all the lectures you and Fornell gave me over the years. They had to be useful for something."

"Cheeky pup," Ian muttered.

Ryan nodded as Nevyn giggled, before continuing.

"You know, you're welcome to stay here until you figure it out, Ian. Always."

"Thanks," Ian finally returned the smiles. A sigh escaped him, "I should probably call Charlie, let him know I'm staying here for a bit." He paused for a moment. "Nevyn, my phone should have been in my bag. Did you take it out?"

"Nope," the girl shook her head. "I haven't heard it ringing since you got here either. Did you leave it in the truck?"

A memory flashed in Ian's mind, and he groaned. He'd tossed his mobile in the back with his guns so that it wouldn't disturb him while he drove – meaning that he had, in effect, been out of contact for more than 48 hours. His superiors were going to kill him when he returned.

Ian went out to retrieve it, then wandered through the house as he ignored the messages and went straight to dialling the Eppes' house.

Nevyn finally got up from her place on Ryan's lap after much poking and headed back to the kitchen, figuring that they could all do with some coffee about now.

Ryan went back to the forensic journal he'd been reading before Ian had come in and there was peace for several minutes.

And then Ian stormed back into the room, eyes as cold and hard as they'd ever been.

"I'm going back to LA, Charlie's been shot."


	4. Chapter Four: Holy Flying Chaos Twins!

A/N: Sorry for taking so long guys, hopefully the next one will be out in a week or so. Also, for those left a little confused, a mini-background for Ryan and Nevyn is now on my profile.

Luvnumb3rs: Yes, yes they are. My CSI:M fic Double Trouble is where they got together and Nev was introduced. You should go read it. ;P

Ruquas: Because I'm a bitch. Surely you all know that by now?

T.: Yes, it was fun writing Ian's dawning comprehension. As for the conversation, it's at the end of this chapter. And glad you like Delko. As with Luvnumb3rs, you should go read Double Trouble.

For the rest: Thanks for taking the time to say you liked it. And feel free to poke me with sticks if I make you wait this long again.

-NSITH-

Chapter Four: Holy Flying Chaos Twins. In which Ian returns to find whoever hurt his boyfriend, and Don is reunited with Ryan and Nevyn.

"…Charlie's been shot."

At those three words, Ryan and Nevyn sprang into action. Nevyn found her phone from where she'd thrown it before and called her handler to request flights back to LA, while Ryan called his boss to request time off. Apparently, Lieutenant Caine was rather understanding when it came to personal vendettas.

Meanwhile, Ian moved around collecting weapons and putting them in a case to go in the checked luggage. It was quite an impressive range of firearms – two handguns per agent, a rifle each for Ryan and Ian, as well as Nevyn's brace of throwing knives. Granted, the knives were harder to kill with but they were just as intimidating as the boys' guns and much quicker to set up.

By the time Ian arrived back in the living room, both younger agents were ready to go, when Nevyn spoke first.

"Fornell organised a private plane for us. It's a cargo plane, so we're in for a rough flight, but it'll be ready to leave in half an hour."

"I've got the next week off to go help a friend who's been injured. Lucky me," Ryan grinned. "Also, Horatio called ahead to both airports. They'll be expecting three armed agents to go through, so we'll just need to show ID and permits to security."

"Let's go then." Ian didn't stop to question why he had (correctly) assumed that the young pair would accompany him. All he was concerned with was finding whoever had hurt Charlie, and making sure that they never had the chance to do so again.

-NSITH-

It was nearly eight hours later, and a disgruntled Ian stormed through the hospital; hating any medical building was practically a job requirement for law enforcement personnel. As Nevyn nearly jogged to keep up with the taller man, Ryan disappeared to find them all some much-needed coffee.

Only when he approached Charlie's room did the sniper's footsteps falter. He'd spent the vast majority of the last four days questioning his relationship, only to turn around and fly into a rage at the news of his lover being injured.

_Well_, he thought, _at least that answers whether or not I want to stay with him_.

Knowing that he'd given up the right to barge into the room when he'd disappeared without contact, Ian knocked softly on the closed door.

It was opened shortly after by Alan, whose expression went rapidly from shock to delight to anger, before settling into a cautious welcome. Ian bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the older man's right to be wary.

"Whosit?" Came the sound of a sleepy Charlie, and Alan stepped back to allow Ian entry.

"Your wayward boyfriend," the Eppes patriarch commented drily.

Ian entered the room in time to see the professor's face light up with joy, which immediately made him feel guilty again. He wasted no time in getting to Charlie's bedside and running his eyes over the injured man. There were no visible bandages, which did absolutely nothing to soothe Ian's fears. If it was a torso shot, Charlie could be in big trouble.

"How bad?" He asked, unable to say much else.

"Dunno! Can't feel anything," Charlie informed him happily. "I gots morphine!"

A giggle near the door reminded Ian that Nevyn had followed him in.

"Ah, morphine," the young woman nodded. "Such a wonderful thing. Tell me, have you tried Diamorphine? It's the best painkiller ever."

"I thought that was only legal in the UK?"

"Donnie!" Nevyn squealed and launched herself at Don, who had just entered. Don stumbled backwards, smiling slightly as the young woman wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She may have been small, but she had momentum on her side.

Alan looked on with bewildered amusement as Nevyn kissed Don's cheek. "Now that's an enthusiastic greeting," he muttered to himself.

"Hey, Nevyn," Don smiled at her. "I didn't know you were in town."

"We came with Ian, he's an old friend."

"We?" Don paled. "Both of you are here?"

"Correct," Ryan confirmed coming up behind him. The young man grinned as he leaned over Don's shoulder to kiss his cheek as well. The older agent heaved a long-suffering sigh, winning a giggle from Nevyn and Charlie, who was watching with delight. Then Don caught sight of Ian and his eyes narrowed as he lowered Nevyn back to the ground.

"You. Outside. Now." It was definitely a command, not a request, and Ian nodded.

Charlie looked happily between them.

"Are you gonna beat him up again, Donnie?"

"Maybe," Don answered with a blank expression.

"Okay. Bring him back soon though, he keeps the raspberry soldiers quiet." Charlie then closed his eyes and let the painkillers send him off to sleep. Alan smiled at his youngest, sitting down next to him, as Ian followed Don out of the room.

There was probably going to be shouting, and neither of them wanted to disturb Charlie. Once they were several feet away from the door, Don turned his full-powered Big Brother Glare onto the sniper.

"Where the hell were you? And why were you out of contact?" His voice was strained from trying not to yell just yet.

"I needed to get out of LA for a bit," Ian confessed. "I had some things to sort out which I couldn't do from here."

"So you disappeared without telling anyone and proceeded to stay out of contact for nearly four days?! You went completely off the grid! Did you even consider what Charlie would think when you disappeared? He was frantic; he thought you'd been injured!"

"I didn't mean for that to happen," Ian continued to speak quietly even though guilt made him want to get angry as well. "I realised that I was having doubts about my work and needed to talk to someone with the same mindset."

"So you chose the Chaos Twins in there?" Don gave him a sceptical look and Ian couldn't help but give a slight smile. It was an apt description of the young agents.

"I helped to train both of them. I've known them both for a long time and I've found that, while we have similar reactions to a lot of things, they're also good at giving me a different perspective." _And a kick up the ass when I need it, _he added privately.

Don didn't look entirely convinced but apparently decided to let it slide in favour of focussing on other aspects of the conversation for now.

"You were having doubts about your work," he went back to the previous point. "And decided that the best way to deal with that was to avoid contact with those involved in your job, not to mention your boyfriend, and head to wherever the hell those two were?"

"Miami," Ian supplied without thinking, then winced at Don's incredulous look. "And I didn't decide to avoid contact, that was an accident. Before the raid I put my phone in the back of the truck so I wouldn't be startled if it rang, then I forgot about it. It wasn't until I went to call Charlie that I realised I'd left it there."

"Bullshit," Don muttered.

Ian ignored that and continued, realising that he was only digging his own grave with all of this, but too far gone to care.

"And I avoided talking to Charlie because I needed to think about our relationship."

"You needed to think…" Don paused just before grabbing the front of Ian's shirt. The sniper forced himself to not react, knowing it would just make things worse. "You were going to leave him? You were going to fucking leave him without even having the decency to say it to his face?"

At that, Ian finally snapped and shoved Don away from him.

"No! That's not what I was planning on doing, I just needed to think." At the obviously disbelieving look on Don's face, Ian let out a growl and stepped forward. "You can't tell me that you've never had to think about a relationship, Eppes!"

The other agent had the decency to look chagrined and Ian pressed the advantage while he had it. "I've never been in a situation like this, in a relationship where I have so much to lose."

Ian ran a hand over his face in relief when something like comprehension flashed across Don's and he softened his voice again. "And the only reason I'm talking to you about it now instead of Charlie, is that you'd understand some of the things I'm trying to work through. The professor, on the other hand…" Ian trailed off with a smirked snort and Don nodded in agreement.

"At any rate," the sniper continued, "just put the 'doubts about my work' down as a crisis of conscience. Something all snipers eventually go through, something I lecture my students about every single year. And something I'd never gone through before."

Don looked at him with disbelief again, raising one expressive eyebrow before deciding to rejoin the conversation properly.

"And the dog?"

Ian paused, then groaned.

"Oh, not you too! Look, it was a fleabitten mongrel that would have been put down by any self-respecting vet. I just cut out the middle-man, that's all!"

Don smirked, realising that the Miami agents must have already given him a hard time about it.

"Y'know, there's some who would give the same description to you."

Ian offered a half-hearted glare to that. He was mostly relieved that he could go back to work without worrying that Don was going to put a bullet between his shoulders.


	5. Chapter Five: Answers

Here we go again! The writing bug has bitten me, so you get a new chapter at last.

Thanks for all the reviews guys, glad you're all liking it.

-NSITH-

Chapter Five: Answers. In which Ian receives a target.

When Don and Ian re-entered Charlie's room, he was still asleep. Alan was sitting in a chair next to him, keeping an eye on the various monitors. Ryan was sitting on the floor by the door, Nevyn in his lap, both waiting patiently for instructions on what to do next.

Ian nodded to them, then turned back to Don to ask the question that had been burning him up.

"What happened?"

"It's complicated," Don sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, glad that Charlie was so far out of it. The guilt hadn't had a chance to kick in yet.

"Charlie, David and I were out on the promenade at the office. He'd come to drop off some files that he'd borrowed to test some ideas. I wasn't really paying that much attention to the chatter, there were lots of other people coming and going as well…"

-NSITH-

"Don, I promise that this'll cut down on the time it takes to track stolen cars! All you need to do is insert-"

"Charlie, you know my aptitude for math," Don interrupted with a smile. "Just assure me it'll work and I'll give it to the guys in Auto to field-test for you."

"It'll work," Charlie grinned back.

"There, simple enough." Don glanced down at his watch, then shrugged. "Sorry Chuck, I gotta run. Meeting with Merrick."

"Good luck," Charlie winced in sympathy as he turned to leave. Don and David started back into the building, when suddenly a shout went out.

"Sniper! Everybody down!"

Don, however, whirled around to see where Charlie was. He was too far away, standing there looking surprised.

"Charlie! Get down!"

Just as a gun went off, Don saw one of the men he'd trained, Agent Stuart Milne, tackle Charlie to the ground and cover him.

Around them, agents sprang into action to catch the shooter. Don ran over, falling to his knees next to his little brother, then realised that Milne wasn't moving.

Carefully, he felt for a pulse, then closed his eyes and bowed his head.

Milne had died doing his job.

He'd died protecting an innocent civilian.

He'd died protecting _Charlie._

-NSITH-

"Going through Agent Milne changed the bullet's trajectory," Don continued softly. "It only clipped Charlie in the side, going straight through the thinnest part of his waist. He banged his head a bit on the concrete, but not enough to give him concussion. He should be out of here in a few days, they're really just keeping an eye on him and helping with the pain management."

Ian was still frozen in shock with the realisation that someone had given up their life to protect his Charlie. One of their agents was gone.

"I remember Stuart," Ian said softly. "He was a good man, and a good agent."

Don nodded back before going on.

"We have the shooter in custody, but he won't say why he did it. It seems like he was deliberately aiming for Charlie, though we can't get him to confirm or deny it."

"You want us to try?" Ryan asked, voice cold.

Don shared a glance with Ian, both seriously considering it. In the end, both shook their heads.

"Megan's still trying," he informed them. "She should be able to get it out of him without resorting to torture."

"We'll keep you as backup," Ian gave them a shark-like grin. "Just in case."

That seemed to satisfy the younger agents for the time being and they fell silent again. After a moment, Alan stood and stretched.

"I could do with some fresh air," he announced. "Let's get some coffee, Donnie."

The lead agent followed without complaint, and Ian sat in Alan's vacated chair. He guessed that the patriarch was going to grill his eldest son on what Ian had said earlier.

Silence enveloped the remaining three. They could do nothing but wait until Charlie's would-be assassin gave them something to work with.

-NSITH-

Time passed.

Don and Alan returned, Don tossing a candy-bar each to Ryan and Nevyn, and receiving another hug for his efforts.

Charlie woke and spoke entirely in numeric code for an hour. The morphine really took him out of reality.

Then, the next morning, they received the call they'd been waiting for. Megan had broken through the shooter's defences and discovered why Charlie had been injured.

The would-be assassin had been working for Ian's older brother.

-NSITH-

"I don't believe it," Don muttered as he glared through the observation window.

"Believe it," Ian growled. "I'm not sure how he found out I'm with Charlie, but this is exactly the sort of thing Graham would do."

The two agents stood side by side watching the idiot who had tried to kill Charlie. He was a weedy little man who looked as though he'd happily sell out his own mother. They weren't sure why he'd been so loyal to his employer, but Ian figured that his brother probably had something on him. It was a fairly standard modus operandi for him.

Don glanced at Ian, a little concerned.

"You're going after him, aren't you?" He asked. "Whether it's approved or not, you're going to hunt him down."

"He's my brother," the sniper shrugged. "I have a better chance of finding him than anyone else. And besides, his shooting Charlie is an invitation to do so."

"That's what I'm worried about," Don admitted. "He wants you going after him angry, not thinking straight. It's gotta be a trap to hurt you somehow, though you'd know why better than me."

"He's probably just had enough of being ignored," Ian replied, feigning boredom to prevent the other agent from looking too seriously at his next statements. "He was always a bastard to my sister and me when we were younger but I always managed to come out on top. We've had nothing to do with each other for years. He's probably decided that he needs to do something to get my attention again."

"Unlucky for him, he succeeded," Don murmured. Ian nodded in agreement. "Just promise me something, okay?"

"What is it?"

"Don't try to take him down by yourself. It sounds like he's unhinged, and this could very well be a trap."

"I know that," Ian rolled his eyes. "I have no intention of facing him down alone. This isn't the Wild West."

"Good."

"I'm taking Ryan and Nevyn with me."

"Ah," Don paused, considering. "Well, having those two at your back certainly increases your chances of survival. Sharply decreases his… Then again, it's hard to decrease from zero."

Ian smirked at that. Both men knew that Graham Edgerton had signed his own death warrant when he ordered a hit on Charlie.

Don then turned to look directly at Ian.

"Look, be careful out there. Charlie really does love you for some strange reason. If anything happens to you, he'll blame himself and be inconsolable about it. So make sure you come back in one piece, got it?"

"Got it," Ian nodded, hearing Don's own concern for him as well as he tuned back into the interrogation going on.

His mind was already racing, trying to predict Graham's next movements. This wasn't going to be easy, but Ian wouldn't stop until he knew that Charlie would be safe.

And if he had to kill his brother to do it… so be it.


	6. Chapter Six: Wounded Puppies, Take Two

Finally! It's finally finished! Yay!

Everyone thank Calileane for inspiring me to finish, and my lovely beta Jadvisioness for also poking me and checking this over. My apologies to you all for taking so long, and thanks to those who reviewed, fav'd, or even just read. Not sure if there will be another, as my Numb3rs muse has run away, but I may do one-shots. Maybe.

Chapter six: Wounded Puppies, Take Two. In which our story comes to a conclusion.

Ian lay in bed, holding Charlie as the professor slept. It was just over a month since Charlie had been injured, and even though the threat had been eliminated, Ian was reluctant to let his lover out of his sight for more than a few minutes.

The agent sighed as he nuzzled Charlie's hair. After tracking down and killing his brother, Ian had requested time off from the FBI. Given the circumstances, it had been given, and in addition he was seeing a psychiatrist once a week. He figured that it would be a while before he felt comfortable handling a gun again.

He wasn't sure how Ryan and Nevyn handled it so easily. Then again, they'd been tracking down and killing people since they were in their teens - in Nevyn's case, this had included her own mother. They were just as screwed up mentally as he was.

-NSITH-

"What have we got?" Ian asked softly as his young companions returned from scouting Graham's hideout. They were several miles deep into a forest, having tracked Graham and his gang of drug traffickers to an abandoned retreat here.

"Two guards at the rear," Ryan replied just as softly. Anyone more than three feet away would have had trouble telling that they were having a conversation. "There was a window by the side big enough for Nev to get through. Probably the best bet."

"Right," Nevyn nodded. "So while I'm arresting or eliminating these guys, what are you gonna do?"

"Follow to where Graham really is," Ian replied with a shark-like smile. He pointed to a spot a few feet away, where he'd found the barely-there tracks he'd obviously not been meant to see.

"I'm coming with you," Ryan confirmed. "Nev can handle the cabin by herself, you're gonna need someone to watch your back."

Ian nodded, knowing it was true. He'd be too focused on bringing Graham down to pay attention to much else.

The team split up, going after their designated targets.

-NSITH-

It didn't go as smoothly as Ian would have liked. The men in the cabin had resisted arrest, forcing Nevyn to kill most of them. Not that she really had a problem with that, but she'd been injured in the fight. The bruises had faded by now, and she'd just gone back undercover. As for himself and Ryan, on the other hand...

-NSITH-

Ian looked down the sight of his rifle, gritting his teeth in frustration. He wasn't going to be able to do this easily - somewhere along the way, Graham had evidently had a child. The girl was small, no more than five or six years old, and looked incredibly similar to what Ian and Graham's sister had looked like at that age.

And, just to make things hard for Ian, Graham was carrying the girl on his back. Ian couldn't get a clear shot at his target without risking missing and hitting the girl instead. It was clearly just to annoy Ian, as the sniper had already heard his brother yell several derogatory things at the child, and it appeared that she had bruises on her face. Graham was walking through a small group of his hired thugs, several of whom sent leers at the little girl.

Growling softly in annoyance, Ian realised that he was going to have to get closer. Then he noticed something about the men he was observing, and smiled coldly. All of them were wanted fugitives. There would be little, if any, recriminations for disposing of them.

Ian glanced over to where Ryan was grinning maniacally, and knew he was thinking the same thing. The younger agent crept away, circling the group so as to cause panic when they shot from two different directions.

The pair of snipers waited until Graham had moved away a little, removing the child from the danger zone, then opened fire.

-NSITH-

Charlie whimpered a little as he snuggled into Ian's chest, craving security. Every few nights he would have a nightmare, but they were slowly fading.

If only Ian could say the same about his own.

-NSITH-

In fairly short order, the gang was on the ground either dead or unconscious. Ian's face was blank as he slowly approached his older brother.

"Hi, Ian!" Graham greeted him cheerfully. Ian narrowed his eyes, not in the mood for games.

"Who's the kid?" He bit out, as large, frightened eyes looked back at him.

"This," Graham sneered, "is my daughter. Waste of space, she's gonna die soon. Cancer. Until then, she makes a pretty good meat-shield, don't you think?"

"Not good enough," Ian whispered with a smirk.

Graham raised an eyebrow, then his whole body jerked sideways as a bullet went through his temple. Ian watched dispassionately as his brother crumpled to the ground, instantly dead from Ryan's well-aimed head shot.

Moving closer, Ian took in the form of the young girl, now breathing heavily and shaking more than a little. She did look quite ill, with her thin features and the dark circles under her eyes. Her dark hair was tangled and matted; if she did have cancer, she obviously wasn't receiving treatment for it. She was malnourished, filthy, and bruised.

In all, she would probably be better off if she had died in the crossfire.

The little girl looked up at the sniper in awe, and he crouched down next to her, gently reaching out a hand to lay it on the back of her neck.

-NSITH-

The bedroom door opened quietly, and Ian turned his head to offer a small smile.

"You have another nightmare?" He asked softly. A small head nodded, sending long brown curls bouncing. "C'mere then. But be careful, Daddy's still sleeping."

Ian watched fondly as the small girl climbed into the bed to burrow between him and Charlie. She hadn't yet spoken a word, but she adored Charlie, her Daddy, and Ian, her Papa. Alan was, naturally, delighted to have a grand-daughter to dote on, even if they weren't related by blood. Graham hadn't bothered to teach her her own name, so with her consent she'd been re-named Chloe Edgerton, and was now much healthier and happier. Her cancer had turned out to be operable, and she was now about to start at the local primary school.

Ian pressed a kiss to the top of Chloe's head and drifted back to sleep, his family held safely in his arms.

This was exactly where he wanted to be, now and forever.

-The End-


End file.
